The Color Of Love: A BWWM Billionaire Alpha Male Romance (7 page)

Simple question, but
it seemed bizarre in a setting like this. Victoria’s answer was
appropriate, “I would like to say yes, Dawson but at this point
I am not even sure I trust myself.”

He grinned at her -
this woman was no pushover.

*****

Palette had grown
and so had the demands and work schedule of being the boss. People
looked to Victoria to interpret just what they had in mind and
expected the virtually impossible. Dawson was calling, but she had no
time to flit about with this man who had already established himself
in the business world.

The owner of Fantasy
flower shops was getting married and her request was to design a cake
replica of an award winning arrangement the shop had produced. The
task seemed easy, but the bouquet was huge and the details endless.
Victoria would scream if she had to make one more tiger lily.

Had she been
ignoring Dawson’s calls? Not exactly. It was just that she knew
what he wanted and she didn’t have the time to give it right
now. Abby had gone home for a few weeks. Her younger sister was set
to graduate from high school and because they were a tight knit
family, she had to go.

The bookings never
paused though, and Victoria was forced to outsource a personal
assistant to schedule consultations and confirm payments. DMC Theater
live was responsible for the traffic.

It was around three
in the afternoon when the knock on the door came, interrupting her
concentrated effort to add foliage to the arrangement. The fondant
was not reacting well. Wiping her hands and going over to the door,
she opened it expecting a delivery of some sort even though none was
scheduled.

“Good
afternoon Victoria, I see that you are alive and well. May I come in
and take a tour of the infamous Palette?” Victoria didn’t
usher him in but that didn’t matter, he entered anyway.

“Nice of you
to stop by Dawson” she smiled and said as she closed the door.

“Trust me when
I say the pleasure is all mine Victoria.” He responded
smoothly.

The man could be so
obnoxious she thought as he made a beeline for the counter where she
worked on her creation. He was reverent enough not to touch anything
but smiled and nodded at her artistic abilities. Victoria followed
him, hands folded across her chest shaking her head at his commanding
nature.

Suddenly, he turned
and grinned at her. “I know you are in the middle of work, but
everyone has to eat. I want you to accompany me to a party tomorrow.
You don’t have to stay for long, but it’s you that I need
on my arm.”

Victoria thought it
sounded more like a demand than a request and raised her eyebrow as
he spoke. Clearing his throat Dawson added “please”. He
quickly understood that she considered herself to be in charge. He
would have to work on that. Her smile was magnetic and it spread
across her face as she recognized that he noticed the difference
between a request and demand. Like most men, Dawson expected the
response she gave.

“I don’t
have anything to wear, it’s too sudden.”

Before her words
could fall from her lips, Dawson responded, “I have already
arranged for you to visit any dress shop of your choice at your
convenience. It would be great if you could come naked… I am
sure the tabloids would love that, but for the sake of decency, you
will have to cover yourself. My assistant will call you tomorrow to
see what time is good for you. See you then.”

As suddenly as he
came, he left. The whirlwind of emotions that seemed to overtake her
when he was near was totally overwhelming. Who exactly did he think
he was coming to her place and all but ordering her to come with him
when she had work to finish. Exasperating was the word to describe
Dawson she decided.

*****

As much as she hated
the idea of being commanded to do anything, Victoria confirmed with
the personal assistant that she could be ready for three pm. The cake
had been delivered to the blushing bride, causing her to erupt in
tears and have her makeup fixed.

Victoria’s
apartment was attached to the house of an elderly couple who had
never been inside a limo. Imagine their surprise when the gleaming
white stretch pulled up to take her shopping. It was almost
embarrassing. Donning the largest sunglasses she owned, Victoria
bowed her head and trotted to the vehicle hoping to disappear.

Inside was Sara and
all her gadgets and papers. Victoria’s brain began to spin as
she settled into the white leather seats. Did Dawson send this woman
to supervise her wardrobe selection? Customarily she would have been
curt and to the point in confronting the assistant with her
suspicions, but this time she decided to wait for a bit.

The part of the city
the driver turned into was unfamiliar to her. Each storefront seemed
to say “Platinum or black cards only” and the people
going in and out certainly looked like they were credit card
approved.

“Do you have
any idea which shop you want to go to?” Sara interrupted
Victoria’s thoughts with the ridiculous question. Of course she
didn’t, but no one needed to know that. “I think if we
find a park I will stroll down the street and see what I am in the
mood for today.”

Almost instantly the
limo pulled over to the curb and the driver got out to open the door.
A black man, the chauffeur looked at Victoria with an expression she
couldn’t make out. Maybe it was all in her mind, but it was
apparent to her the kinds of reactions she may receive from her own
kind. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

Sara got out of the
fancy vehicle behind her and as they walked, Victoria reached for her
cell. Dawson’s number had been saved and he didn’t sound
surprised to hear her.

“Hello
Victoria. How are things going?” He inquired.

She told him the
truth as she stopped her stride, causing Sara to bump into her.
Looking the woman squarely in the eyes as she spoke she said. “I
am not sure about your intentions, but I am a grown woman and I do
not need to be supervised. Sara can go ahead and pick out what she
thinks you would like but I will go to a place where I won’t be
followed by your assistant or security officers for that matter. And
there is no need to grandstand with a stretch limo at four in the
afternoon either.”

Caught totally off
guard by her anger, he struggled for words, but shock prevented them
from coming out. Victoria wasn’t asking for a response anyway.
She wasn’t finished speaking.

“If you want
me to go anywhere with you I suggest you start treating me like an
equal and not a child who needs to be minded. Oh and please send a
normal car to get me later. I have no need to impress the neighbors.”

Sara’s mouth
hung open as she watched the woman she was sent to supervise end the
abrupt one sided phone call and stalk off. She knew how to deal with
one loud, and opinionated boss. Two however, was a different matter.

The man came in his
Bugatti and parked in on the street like a regular vehicle. Yes, a
white Bugatti in mint condition would blend in with the Nissan's and
Chevrolet's parked there. They were set to leave at seven thirty - it
was only six forty five.

He knocked three
times and Victoria sighed as she looked in the mirror fixing her
makeup. The exasperating Dawson Ledger was there. Wrapping her
bathrobe around her full figure, she walked to the door
and took note of the framed serenity prayer on
the wall. Yes, she needed it.

“Good evening
Dawson,” she said while opening the door.

He stood there
grinning like a Cheshire cat as he responded. “Good evening
Madame Spunk.” She knew he would mention the way she acted
earlier and was quite ready for it.

“That’s
Victoria Jones to you Mr. Ledger.”

Closing the door
behind him, Victoria disappeared into the bedroom, Dawson sat on the
couch for ten minutes before he shouted. “ You really hurt
Sara’s feelings you know. You need to apologize.”

Appearing from the
hall looking exactly the same as when she went inside the bedroom
Victoria perched her hand on her hip and said, “If she has
survived you for all this time there is no way my little speech could
have upset her. Get a new assistant if she’s not tough Dawson.
I am not apologizing for anything. And I told you to drive a regular
car.”

Standing to his full
height and rebuttoning his black blazer, Dawson turned to look at
this little woman with the large persona. When he arrived at her
side, she was still standing, glaring in his direction. Arriving in
front of her, he bowed close to her face, forcing her to step back
until her back hit the wall, directly below the prayer.

Rubbing his thumb
against her cheek, Dawson gazed into her fiery brown eyes and
whispered, “I think I am going to like being with you. You are
so spirited it’s a turn on. If only you would take instruction
sometimes… but then again, it would be against all you believe
in right?”

Victoria heard him,
but her eyes were closed, drinking in the sensation or his warm hand
against her skin. She was lost. Dawson was tracing the curve of her
neck and marveling at how raspy her breathing had suddenly gotten
before he spoke again. “For your information, Little Miss
Spitfire… I sent Sara to make sure you were happy and taken
care of, not to watch over you. I can see… and feel that you
are fully capable of handling yourself.”

Because he was a man
accustomed to pushing the envelope, his hands slid over her breasts
and around her waist where he toyed with the band holding the robe
together. In seconds, it fell open, revealing the hidden rare
treasures this enchanting woman had to offer.

Her breasts rose and
fell as Victoria anticipated his touch, but Dawson wanted to fill
himself with the sight of her first. The black lace underwear cupped
the full globes pushing them together, creating the most delicious
looking valley between the two. Her tummy was not perfectly flat, but
rather, one of a woman who ate just enough but never too little. The
triangle between her legs was covered by a lace and satin thong and
the tiny string holding it to her body circled her hips enticingly
and invited his eyes to take in her sturdy thighs and legs, she was a
sight to behold.

Neither knew what
stopped things from getting to the point of no return, but Victoria
knew if she didn’t close her robe, they would never leave.
Extracting her nipple from his mouth, she dragged herself away from
his intoxicating presence to fix herself. She was a lady and would
not sleep with a man this easily. Besides, she couldn’t let him
know that she was on the verge of letting him have his way.

It was now a quarter
to seven and they were late. Dawson, however, still took the time to
admire her final appearance. The dress was made of natural colored
linen. The top was loose fitting and hung off her bare shoulders
before extending down to long sleeves cuffed at the wrist and fringed
with gold lace. The mermaid cut maxi bottom hugged her hips and
accentuated her waist before flaring out into a swirl also edged in
gold lace. On her feet were the most elegant of crocheted slippers
and her clutch seemed to be of intricately carved stained wood.
The bib necklace was adorned with iridescent
crystals punctuated with natural colored beads and her ears were
devoid of decoration except for a small copper cuff circling her
upper ear.

From her freshly
shaved and dyed tiny afro to the tips of her slippers she was unique
and exotic. Dawson struggled with the thought of changing his mind
about the party as the head below his waist wanted a party of his
own. Reading his thoughts, Victoria opened her door and said,
“Patience is a virtue Dawson.”

As he joined her on
the steps, Dawson added, “I have no intention of being virtuous
when I finally get you Victoria, Remember that.”

*****

The stretch limos
Victoria despised, lined the entrance of Parrot and Crystal, the
newest nightclub to open in Florida. Tonight’s guests, however,
were not eager weekend partiers, but the who’s who of the
business world in the city. Armed security personnel and bouncers
guarded their esteemed employers with trained eyes while excited
chauffeurs decided whether to park and wait or leave their rich
bosses while taking a few hours for themselves.

The red carpet
ushering the guests inside the modern entrance, was lined by camera
toting reporters waiting to capture every moment. When Victoria and
Florida’s richest and youngest bachelor emerged from the luxury
vehicle, Dawson realized he may have a problem. He was accustomed to
the limelight, but she was not. He could feel her hesitate, but the
valet had already driven off. It was too late.

Grasping her hand
tightly, Dawson hoped his grip was enough to reassure her it was
alright. Victoria was not that easily calmed. Leaning into him as he
held her hand, proved to be a photo op for the vulture journalists
and she knew that there was no turning back now. Plastering her
fakest smile on her cinnamon face, she braced herself for the
flashes.

They increased as
the happy new couple got closer to the carpet. She would not answer
questions, but Dawson was an attention hound and couldn’t
resist. Yes, he was happy with the success of DMC Theater live. Yes,
this was the start of new artistic ventures for DMC.

Who was the exotic
beauty accompanying him this evening one reporter asked and even
though her eyes told him not to he still answered. “This
stunning young woman is Victoria Jones, Owner of Palette and soon to
be creative food and beverage manager of my cinemas and theater.”

Victoria was certain
her eyes were bigger than saucers when he made the announcement. She
was not aware she was employed by anyone but herself. This revelation
was news to her.